7 children drown in Ecija, Aurora rivers

CABANATUAN CITY– Seven youngsters drowned when they swam in the rivers in Nueva Ecija and Aurora on Black Saturday, police reported.

In Nueva Ecija, those who drowned were Jeff Alquizal, 12 and Francis Valmonte, 10; both of Jaen, Nueva Ecija; Ansly Constantino, eight, and John Vincent Marcos, both of San Leonardo town.

Senior Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, provincial police director, said three of those who died were found floating along the river in Barangay San Anton, San Leonardo at around 12 noon on April 23. Constantino was declared dead on arrival at the Gonzales District Hospital by attending physicians, an hour after he was found.

According to initial investigations, three of the kids swam in the river accompanied by a 17-year-old sister of one of the victims even if they didn’t know how to swim. Police said they were swept by strong currents.

In Aurora, nine-year-old Michael Angelo Orpiano was declared dead on arrival at the Aurora Memorial Hospital after drowning in Barangay Amper, Dipaculao town.

Senior Supt. Jojo Gumban, Aurora provincial police director, said Orpiano was with his parents having a picnic underneath the Amper bridge when he suddenly went missing.

None of the family members noticed that he was swept by the strong currents.

They only learned of it when they called out for him to eat lunch.

A witness, Eddie Rebueno said the boy apparently was driven to a deep side of the river and because he could not swim, got drowned.

Amper is a popular tourist destination but it has also gained notoriety reportedly because every year, many reportedly die due to drowning.

Aurora police also reported that two persons died while swimming at Baler beach in Barangay Buhangin, Baler, Aurora, also on Black Saturday. They were identified as Randolph Ace Torrez, 24, Cabanatuan City; and Reynaldo Reyes, 26; a resident of Bermecriste, Nueva Ecija. -- MG